Brakehead retainer and beam



Oct. 25, 1949. R. BEDELL BRAKE HEAD RETAINER AND BEAM Filed Sept. 28,1946 FIG. I.

FIG. 3.

FIG. 2.

FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES BRAKEHEAD RETAINER AND BEAMApplication September 28, 1946, Serial No. 700,061

8 Claims.

The invention relates to railway brake beams of the truss-type andconsists in structure for maintaining the assembly of the compressionmember, the tension member and the brake head.

In a usual truss-type brake beam, the head is seated on the end of thecompression member and has a bearing on its outer face for a nutthreaded on the end of the tension rod which passes through the brakehead diagonally of the compression member. If the nut works ofi or ifthe tension rod fails, the head may become disassembled from thecompression and tension members. In such event, if the only support forthe beam is the usual swing hanger received in the head, the beam mayfall to the track and may cause serious damage to the truck and evenwreck the train.

The main object of the invention is to maintain assembly of the beam inthe event the tension rod or the nut fails.

Another object is to provide a safety retainer for the head and otherbeam members which is simple, inexpensive and eiiective for the purposeindicated.

It is a further object to attain this result without weakening the beamcompression member, tension member or brake head.

Another object is to apply a retainer to a previously completed beamwithout disassembling its parts.

These and other detail objects are attained by the structure illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a railway truss-type brake beam embodying oneform of the invention, the right hand end being sectioned.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the left hand end of Figure l and drawn to anenlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a top view corresponding to the left hand end of Figure l,drawn to an enlarged scale and with the brake head partially sectionedvertically, and showing another form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a rear View thereof.

Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 3 and 4, respectively, andshow another form of the invention.

The beam illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 includes a channel-shapedcompression member I, a round rod tension member 2, a strut 3intermediate the ends of the beam, brake heads 4 mounted on theconverging ends of the compression and tension members, and tensioningnuts 5 threaded on the ends of the tension member. Each head 4 includesthe usual elements PATENT OFFICE 6 facing forwardly of the beam tosupport the usual brake shoe (not shown). The outer side I of the headhas a bearing 8 for nut 5. The inner side 9 of the head preferablyincludes a sleeve II] which encircles tension rod '2 and restrainstension rod 2 against play relative to compression member I. The head isrecessed inwardly at I2 from its inner side ii to receive the endportion of compression member l and the end of the latter is seated atH. All of the above-described features correspond to well-knownstructure.

A retainer I3, adapted to prevent accidental disassembly of brake head 4from tension rod 2 and compression member I, is made of a piece of wirewith hook-like terminals which may be formed by bending its ends intoloops Hi and 55 arranged to receive tension rod 2. Loops I l and I 5 arealigned axially with one another and extend outwardly of and at the sameside of a connecting portion I 6. The planes of the loops aresubstantially perpendicular to connecting portion I6 which is positionedlongitudinally of and substantially parallel to tension rod 2. Loop 15is welded or otherwise secured to tension rod 2 between the head and thestrut. Loop H1 is positioned within recess I2 of brake head a andopposes the adjacent end of sleeve M3 to restrain outward movement ofthe brake head relative to compression member I and tension rod 2 if nut5 or the end portion of tension rod 2 fails.

In Figures 3 and 4, the retainer it comprises a wire bent at one endinto a hook-like loop 2! receiving tension rod '22 and within recess 23of brake head 24 for opposing the adjacent end of sleeve 29 of brakehead 26. The opposite end of retainer 253 is bent into a loop 25receiving compression member 2! and outside of recess 23 and is weldedor otherwise secured to compression member 21. Loops 2i and 2? extendoutwardly of and at opposite sides of a connecting portion 28 and theplanes of the loops are substantially perpendicular to connectingportion 28 which is positioned longitudinally of and substantiallyparallel to tension rod 22 adjacent compression member 21.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, retainer 30 is formed of awire bent at one end into a hook-like loop 3i receiving tension rod 32and in recess 33 of brake head 34 for opposing the adjacent end ofsleeve 35. The opposite end is bent into a loop 3% receiving tension rod32 and outside of recess 33 and then is bent into a second loop 36a toreceive member 37 and in a direction opposite to loop 36. Loops 31 and36 are substantially aligned axially and extend outwardly of and at thesame side of a connecting portion 38. Loop 360. extends outwardly ofconnecting portion 38 at the side opposite to loops 3| and 36. Theplanes of loops 3i and 35 are substantially perpendicular to connectingportion 38 which is positioned longitudinally of and substantiallyparallel to tension rod 32 adjacent member 37. Loops 30 and 39a arewelded or otherwise secured to tension rod 32 and member 37,respectively.

The retainers I3, 20 and 30 can be formed complete as described aboveand installed as the brake beam parts are assembled by inserting loop[4, 2! or 3| in the brake head and inserting the compression member intoloop 26 or 36a of retainer 20 or 30 and into the brake head recess, andthen inserting the rod through loop or 36 of retainer l3 or 30 andthrough the head sleeve opening and retainer loop I l, 2! or 3!. Loopsi5, 26 or 30 and 3611 then are welded to the beam.

' The retainer may be applied to a previously assembled beam by formingopen loops on the ends and inserting one end into the head recess andbehind the inner end of the sleeve and then bending the other end aroundthe tension member, compression member, or both, and securing the end ofthe wire by welding. So long as a hooklike terminal opposes the innerend of the sleeve and is held against removal from the head, the devicewill function as intended.

The retainers preferably are resilient to accommodate relative movementof the beam parts so that the welded loops of the retainers do not breakloose from the brake beam during such movement.

It will be understood that the safety retainers here illustrated are notintended to take the place of the tensioning nuts for resisting thethrusts exerted longitudinally of the beam when the brakes are appliedand released, but they will prevent the head from accidentally beingdisassembled from the remaining beam parts and the resultant dropping ofthe parts to the rail.

A safety retainer of the kind described may be applied to a truss-typebrake beam without drilling or slotting, as has been necessary forretainers previously suggested for similar purposes.

Details of the construction may be varied substantially withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use ofnovel structure coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member anda tension member, a brake head mounted on said members, and an elongatedelement with an end extendin around at least one of said members andwith the other end hooked into the brake head to prevent accidentalremoval of said brake head from said members.

2. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and a brake head having a recess receiving the ends ofsaid members, an element with one end inserted in said recessed portionand opposing a brake head part facing towards the end of the beam, saidelement extending from the brake head inwardly of the beam and extendingaround and secured to one of said members to prevent accidental removalof said brake head from said compression member.

3. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and a brake head having a recessed portion receiving theends of said members, an element having one end extending around andwelded to at least one of said members and having the opposite endencircling the tension member within said brake head recessed portionand opposing a brake head element in said recessed portion to preventaccidental removal of said brake head from said compression member.

4. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and a brake head receiving the ends of said members andincluding a tensioning device seat at one side and a sleeve extendinginwardly from its opposite side to receive the tensioning member, anelement having one end extending around the tension member within thebrake head adjacent the inner end of its sleeve and having the oppositeend attached securely to at least one of said members inwardly of thebeam from the head to prevent accidental removal of said brake head fromsaid compression member.

5. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and a brake head receiving the ends of said members, anelement having its ends extending around the tension member, one end ofsaid element being positioned within a recess in said brake head andopposing said head and the other end of said element being positionedoutside of said brake head.

6. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and a brake head receiving the ends of said members, anelement having one end extending around the compression member andhaving the opposite end extending around the tension member and opposingsaid head to prevent accidental removal of said brake head from saidmembers.

7. In a railway truss-type brake beam including a compression member, atension member, and. a brake head receiving the ends of said members, anelement having one end extending around both of said members and havingthe other end bent around the tension member and opposing said head toprevent accidental removal of said brake head from said compressionmember.

8. A retainer for a brake beam comprising an elongated device shaped atone end into a single loop and at the opposite end into a double loopand including an elongated connecting portion between the single anddouble loops, the single loop extending outwardly and to one side of theconnecting portion, and the double loop extending outwardly at oppositesides of the connecting portion, one of the double loops beingsubstantially aligned axially with the single loop at the other end ofthe connecting portion.

RODNEY BEDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,647,884 Penwarden Nov. 1, 19271,724,265 Ekholm Aug. 13, 1929 1,900,224 Busse Mar. 7, 1933 2,047,455Anderson July 14, 1936 2,319,440 Busse May 18, 1943 2,391,329 MolineDec. 18, 1945

